The present invention relates to a gear-enabled wringable device. More particularly, to a mop having gear-driven means to wring liquid from the mop, or other cleaning attachment connected to the device. The new and unique mop of the present invention incorporates a series of gears to facilitate twisting of the mop, or other attached device, into a tightly wound position. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention incorporates a unique ratchet and pawl configuration to prevent the loosening of the mop, or other attached device, during the wringing process.
Known string mops have incorporated mechanisms for wringing liquid out of mop strings by twisting the string around the mop handle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,658 to Specht describes such a mop. These known mops require considerable effort during manual twisting of the mop strings around the handle, especially where the mop strings are long and thick. Accordingly, many older and weaker users find it difficult to wring such mops, and such workers cannot wring the mops to a tightly wound condition required to expel most of the absorbed liquid.
The present invention provides a wringing device driven by a series of gears that allows easy twisting of the mop strands around the handle. The present invention is preferably comprised of:
an elongate handle member;
a first gear component connected to the handle, wherein rotation of the handle drives the first gear component;
a second gear component. operationally linked to the first gear component so that the first gear component drives the second gear component (and the handle);
a movable component, the movable component adapted to move along a length of the handle from a mopping position to a wringing position, said movable component operationally linked to the second gear component so that the second gear component drives the movable component in a rotational movement about the handle when the handle is rotated so as to wring the attached cleaning attachment.
The device may also include a connector mechanically linked between the moveable component and the second gear component, the connector driven by the second gear component so as to rotate around the handle. The connector is adapted to attach to the moveable component when in the wringing position, and wherein the rotational movement of the connector, or a portion thereof, drives the moveable component in a predetermined rotational direction around the handle so as to wring the cleaning attachment. The connector is preferably comprised of:
a first section rotatably moveable around the handle and driven by the second gear component;
a second section operationally linked to the first section and rotatably moveable around said handle, and wherein the second section is adapted for moving longitudinally along the handle when driven by the rotating first section, wherein a distal end of the second section is connected to the moveable component so as to rotatably drive the moveable component during the wringing process; and
a spring operationally connected to the second section of the connector, wherein the spring is compressed when the second section of the connector moves toward the cleaning attachment during the wringing process. The moveable component rotates in one predetermined direction and the handle rotates in the opposite direction during the wringing process (see FIG. 7).
Furthermore, the present invention has a unique ratchet and pawl configuration that allows the mop to be wrung in a unidirectional rotation. When twisting the handle during the wringing process, the user""s hands can only rotate a limited number of degrees before the user has to reposition his or her hands for another twist. Without the pawl and ratchet configuration, the wound mop strings would tend to unwind as the user releases the handle since the mop strands will no longer be under a force to stay in the wound condition. The pawl and ratchet configuration prevents the wound mop strings to unwind by allowing rotation of the mop, or mop shaft, in only one direction during the wringing process. Accordingly, the user can release the handle during the wringing process without worrying about the release of the mop strands from the wound position.
In addition to the features mentioned above, objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent upon a reading of the following description.